172 THE HOG. 



said, and say again, is this all true ? for if so, what prevents the im- 

 mediate use of the same beneficial proceeding to every one, not even 

 omitting the allotment tenant 1 ? What more easy and practicable 

 than to breed on a small scale, or to join two or three families toge- 

 ther, and thus diminish expense and increase profits 1 I throw out 

 the hint, and hope that good may arise from a due consideration of 

 the prominent facts already stated." 



With the following valuable remarks by that well-known practical 

 agriculturist and grazier, Arthur Young, we will conclude this chap- 

 ter: 



" The breeding of swine being one of the most profitable articles 

 in the whole business of a farm, the husbandman cannot pay too 

 much attention to it. I shall, in as few words as the subject will 

 admit, give an account of the best system to be pursued in thia 

 branch of his business. The farmer who would make a considerable 

 profit by hogs must determine to keep a proper number of sows in 

 order to breed many pigs; but this resolution ought to be preceded 

 by the most careful determination to prepare crops proper for sup- 

 porting this stock. The proper ones for that purpose are barley, 

 buck, beans, peas, clover, potatoes or carrots. In the common ma- 

 nagement, a farmer keeps only a sow or two because his dairy will 

 do no more ; but in the system of planting crops purposely for swine, 

 a different conduct must necessarily be pursued. Potatoes, carrots, 

 Swedish turnips, and cabbages, must be provided for the sows and 

 stores from October till the end of May, by which time clover, chi- 

 cory, or lucerne should be ready to receive them, which will carry 

 them till the stubbles are cleared ; so that the whole year is filled 

 up with these plants, and the common offal of the barn-door and the 

 corn-fields. When the sows pig, meal must be provided to make 

 wash by mixing it with water. This in summer will be good enough 

 for their support, and in winter it must be mixed with boiled roots, 

 oats, and pea-soup, for the young pigs. If cows are kept, then the 

 dairy-wash is to be used in the above mixtures. 



" Upon this system, a farmer may proportion his swine to his 

 crops, or his crops to his swine ; and he will find that for the whole 

 year he should have about an equal quantity of roots and grass, and 

 half as much corn as potatoes. For carrying the profit to the highest 

 advantage, the sows should pig but twice a-year, that is, in April and 

 August, by which means there will never be a long and expensive 

 season for rearing pigs before they are put to the staple food of clover 

 or potatoes, &c. ; but this circumstance is much removed by the 

 provision of crops raised expressly for the swine. 



" Upon this plan the annual sale of lean hogs should be in October, 

 the litters of April sold then as stores, and those of August kept till 

 October twelvemonth to sell for baconers, if the farmer feeds none 

 himself. The stock upon hand this month will therefore be the sows, 



